Lost Laowai: The First and Best Bilingual Map App for Foreigners in China


Cian   |   April 16, 2019

Ever since American Jason Stine came to China several years ago as a foreigner who couldn’t read much Chinese, he quickly realized that there was no good up-to-date and bilingual map app he could use for getting around.

Google Maps, even if accessible via a VPN, was out of date with inaccurate transportation information. Apple Maps was only accessible on Apple devices and only showed English or Pinyin, often mixing the two up when showing place names. Meanwhile, other English map apps were just plain unreliable.

So after some time improving his Chinese, Jason came up with a solution: Lost Laowai. In late 2016, he began his journey developing an app that can help foreigners in their everyday lives,enabling them to follow maps and directions in China with confidence.

So, do you want to ride the bus in China, but can’t read Chinese?Do you need a reliable up-to-date map app for China that shows everything in English, Pinyin, and Chinese so you can get anywhere you need to go? Then Lost Laowai may be just what you’ve been looking for.

“Laowai” means “foreigner” in Mandarin, but after using this app, you will never be a lost foreigner in China again.

Get directions for taking buses, trains, subways, and walking. With Lost Laowai, you can travel around China with confidence!

Lost Laowai brings China’s most popular map app – known as AMap/AutoNavi/高德地图 – to people who have difficulties reading Chinese! Search and view all place names in English, Pinyin, or Chinese!

Get bilingual public transportation information and walking directions to any place in China!

That’s not all…

Discover restaurants, entertainment venues, business destinations, and other places useful for foreigners in China.

Have the option to search for English/pinyin-only addresses.

Set favorite destinations and even save home and workplace locations for getting directions quickly to places you go to often.

View China’s most up-to-date map and satellite imagery.

For more information and download instructions, visit the website: http://lostlaowai.wixsite.com/home

More exciting updates are coming! Follow our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/LostLaowaiApp/) or the in-app update announcements for the latest news!

  • Drive with the GPS navigation system
  • Share locations and directions with your friends
  • Access maps offline
  • Check out 360° street view images from all over China

Lost Laowai was developed by American entrepreneur Jason Stine who is now seeking investment and collaboration opportunities to expand the app’s reach in China as well as applying the concept to other languages and countries.

Find your way in China – Download Lost Laowai today! Available for iOS and Android.